He said: ‘I think now it’s time for the political leaders in Northern Ireland to go ‘all right, we’ve got to live within our means’.’
The Northern Ireland Secretary has said he will set a budget for the region if devolved ministers fail to do so, describing it as the “obvious logical conclusion” of continued stalemate.
Sir Chris Bryant told Stormont party leaders there will be no improvement on the current financial offer to assist with setting a budget.
The UK Government has made a financial offer slightly above £1.5 billion over the next three years in an effort to assist with balancing the budget.
Stormont departments have been operating without a budget since the beginning of the current financial year.
Ministers in the devolved powersharing Executive have insisted they cannot strike a budget for 2026/27 without additional financial support from Westminster.
Devolved departments are currently allowed to spend up to 95% of last year’s funding in the absence of ministers agreeing the budget.
The offer currently on the table has not changed since it was made in writing to the parties on September 10.
The Press Association understands that it includes £450 million resource funding in 2026/2027, then £400 million in the following two financial years.
It includes £50 million in funding in each of the three years for transformation of public services, which the Government wants the Northern Ireland Executive to match.
The offer also includes £50 million in capital funding for social housing in 2027/2028 and 2028/2029.
While the additional funding is not guaranteed beyond the three-year period, there is a commitment to consider baselining it as part of the spending review process.
The Executive would also be allowed to keep 50% of funds collected from additional fraud and error identified in the welfare system.
It is understood the offer comes with a series of conditions.
Part of the Secretary of State’s talks with local parties has also included Stormont reform, but that is being dealt with separately from budget discussions.
Sir Chris spoke to the party leaders about the offer on Thursday afternoon and told them there would not be further funding from the Treasury.
Asked if he would contemplate passing a budget for Northern Ireland at Westminster he told BBC’s Evening Extra: “I’ve got to look at every eventuality, of course, I have.
“I’ve got to be responsible about this and the truth of the matter is, if I were a local councillor in England or Wales or Scotland or anywhere else, I’d have to agree a settled budget and that’s what we’ve got to do.
“We’ve all got to live within our resources.
“I don’t want to legislate for a budget, I want to sit down and I’ll be as cooperative as I possibly can, I’ll provide whatever help I can from the Northern Ireland office to help the executive put a budget together.”
He added: “I think most reasonable people would say that we have gone the extra mile, and I think now it’s time for the political leaders in Northern Ireland to go ‘all right, we’ve got to live within our means’.
“That’s the responsible thing for any elected politician to do.”
Sir Chris acknowledged that a UK minister setting a budget for the region while devolved institutions are operational is “completely unheard of”.
“The obvious logical conclusion is that if it’s impossible to set a budget through the Executive, then somebody else will have to do it for them,” he said.
“But I’m not at that stage yet, I want to be really clear, I think I have a good working relationship with all the political leaders.
“I really want to build on that, and I want to work with them and with the executive to get to a place where we can all set a budget together.”
